Doors are configured in many different ways, but no matter the door configuration, a lock mechanism that securely holds the door in place is frequently desired. Oftentimes when multiple doors are utilized unique locking challenges are presented. For example, swinging doors often are used for building or room entrances and are required to lock to each other rather than a stationary frame or jamb. Because there is no stationary frame or jamb the doors require a more robust and unique locking mechanism.
Movable wall panels are also often used for building or room entrances and also present significant locking challenges. Movable wall panels are used to divide an area into two or more regions. For example, movable wall panels are employed in schools, hotels, and convention centers to divide a large room into two or more smaller rooms. Another common use of movable wall panels is the formation of individual shop fronts within a mall. Clear glass panels are typically stored during business hours to produce a wide-open storefront, and are disposed in front of the storefront during off-business hours or during inclement weather to permit the viewing of merchandise.
Movable wall panel systems typically include several components, such as wall panels, trolleys coupled to the wall panels, and tracks within which the trolleys can slide and displace the wall panels. The wall panels often are large planar structures that may be freestanding or attached to one another end-to-end. Many modern applications of wall panel systems utilize freestanding wall panels in order to allow greater versatility over systems using wall panels that are attached end-to-end. Oftentimes one or a pair of panels of the wall panel system is designed so that it may be converted into a pivoting configuration thereby creating a single or a pair of swinging doors. As a result, even when the movable wall panels are disposed in front of the storefront, access into the store may still be provided. In that pivoting configuration the problems with swinging doors described above are experienced.
Traditional door lock assemblies generally are not well-suited to vertically frameless glass movable wall panels or vertically frameless glass swinging doors. Door lock assemblies generally include an inner knob, an outer knob and a latch bolt assembly that is fixedly mounted within a cavity included in a door panel and that is actuated by turning the inner or outer knob. The latch bolt assembly includes a retractable latch bolt and a retractor. The inner and outer knobs are coupled to surfaces of a door panel and rotate together relative to the panel. The retractor couples the latch bolt assembly and the knobs so that rotation of the knobs relative to the door panel causes the retractable latch bolt to extend out of the door panel.
Traditional door locks present significant disadvantages when used with vertically frameless glass doors. First, the latch bolt assembly is disposed in a cavity in the door panel. Because of that, the door panel must have a thickness sufficient to house the latch bolt assembly. Otherwise, a separate housing must be provided to house the latch bolt assembly and to fixedly attach it to the glass door panel, thereby interrupting the vertical glass edge, which significantly diminishes the door's aesthetic appeal. Another disadvantage is that requiring sufficient space in the door to house a door latch assembly is not desired where a glass door panel is employed and it is desired to have a see-through partition. A still further disadvantage is that configuring a cavity within a material adds significant difficulty to the manufacture of a door panel.
There is also a need for a door lock system that does not increase the effective thickness of the door panel or minimally does so.
There is a further need for a door lock system that simplifies manufacture of a door panel assembly.
There is yet a further need for a door lock system that reduces impairment of the transparent surface area of transparent doors.